17 years in the Barn - Need new knowledge

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Broke Farmer

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As title says. Everything in pieces. Now a father/son project. Never put back together - till now.
originally built to run Class racing back in the 80s. Putting back together just for fun and to teach son some skills as well as learn some myself. He wasn't as interested in building tractor engines but this he seems to enjoy.

Old cam is a 110 centerline with 4 degree advance
25 degrees overlap
242 intake duration
247 exhaust
450 intake lift
462 exhaust

Balanced 440 flat top pistons and 6 pack rods with lightly touched 906 heads and fenderwell headers. Planning on going with Holley street dominator intake and sniper EFI.

Looking for opinions as to whether this cam could be street driven for short drives and cruise in meets or if I should look at something with more lobe separation.

Thanks so much for any and all input. The performance world sure has changed since the 80s!!

dart.jpg
 
Are you sure about those cam spec’s? Little light on overlap and lift.
 
Yep. Still have the Cam Doctor spec sheet. NHRA Stock eliminator set max lift specs back then.
I was thinking the overlap might be a bit much for a low lift cam for idling purposes
 
Broke Farmer said:
Yep. Still have the Cam Doctor spec sheet. NHRA Stock eliminator set max lift specs back then.
I was thinking the overlap might be a bit much for a low lift cam for idling purposes
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Those were pretty hard on the valve train. Assuming the duration is @ .050. Might want to get something in the 268-284 duration and under .500 lift
 
Broke Farmer said:
Yep. Still have the Cam Doctor spec sheet. NHRA Stock eliminator set max lift specs back then.
I was thinking the overlap might be a bit much for a low lift cam for idling purposes
Click to expand...
66fs said:
Those were pretty hard on the valve train. Assuming the duration is @ .050. Might want to get something in the 268-284 duration and under .500 lift
Click to expand...
 
The duration is at .50. The lift is total. FWIW the block was zero decked and will be running an old school set of crane adjustable rockers. Plan to do a valve drop this weekend as I can’t remember and can’t find what total clearance was at True TdC
 
Broke Farmer said:
The duration is at .50. The lift is total. FWIW the block was zero decked and will be running an old school set of crane adjustable rockers. Plan to do a valve drop this weekend as I can’t remember and can’t find what total clearance was at True TdC
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Call Racer Brown and get a custom solid cam for that puppy.
 
66fs said:
Call Racer Brown and get a custom solid cam for that puppy.
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After I get my specs I might very well do that. Grind science may have gotten better since the 80s since it seems everything else has….
 
Broke Farmer said:
After I get my specs I might very well do that. Grind science may have gotten better since the 80s since it seems everything else has….
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He is old school but his cams run fast, even today. And since you have adjustable rockers...
 
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Sure. I’ll take some and post more tomorrow. Just finished making my mini tubs and straitening rear end. Likely will narrow it for new rear rims and tires.
Roll cage installed in 80s. Just added front disc brakes and Qa1 upper and lower control arms and adjustable strut rods. Still have super stock springs on it. Put rear double adjustable shocks. Been having a lot of fun. This stuff wasn’t available to the average joe 35 years ago!
 
Should be ok for short trips, it's going to sound really snotty. I would use a 4000+ stall converter for better road manners. What rear gears are in it?
 
jaws said:
Should be ok for short trips, it's going to sound really snotty. I would use a 4000+ stall converter for better road manners. What rear gears are in it?
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4:56 right now. Have another head with 4:30. Thinking about a drag
jaws said:
Should be ok for short trips, it's going to sound really snotty. I would use a 4000+ stall converter for better road manners. What rear gears are in it?
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4:56 rear end. Have a 4:30 that I could set up also. Digging lots of parts up out of the barn. It has a strange spool in it but might put in a posi unit.
 
You can drive ANYTHING on the street if you want to bad enough............



And of course there's this damn thing

 
Broke Farmer said:
Yep. Still have the Cam Doctor spec sheet. NHRA Stock eliminator set max lift specs back then.
I was thinking the overlap might be a bit much for a low lift cam for idling purposes
Click to expand...
Why?
 
Broke Farmer said:
The duration is at .50. The lift is total. FWIW the block was zero decked and will be running an old school set of crane adjustable rockers. Plan to do a valve drop this weekend as I can’t remember and can’t find what total clearance was at True TdC
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with that cam. It's just a cheater cam for stock eliminator. No reason in the world you cannot run it on the street. Simply tune it to where it'll run good. It's all in the tune. It'll run good.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Nothing wrong with that cam. It's just a cheater cam for stock eliminator. No reason in the world you cannot run it on the street. Simply tune it to where it'll run good. It's all in the tune. It'll run good.
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That’s the opinion I was hoping to hear from folks that have stayed involved in automotive performance circles. I’ve been out of the loop so long I tend to overthink what can and can’t work. It’s still just a machine.
 
jaws said:
Should be ok for short trips, it's going to sound really snotty. I would use a 4000+ stall converter for better road manners. What rear gears are in it?
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A 4K stall in a light car with a 440 & 4.56 gears? He needs to keep SOME rubber on the back tires!
 
Broke Farmer said:
That’s the opinion I was hoping to hear from folks that have stayed involved in automotive performance circles. I’ve been out of the loop so long I tend to overthink what can and can’t work. It’s still just a machine.
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Unless you are going to run in Stock Eliminator (never seen a class in Stock for a BB A body car) that cam is useless. You need way more lift and a grind that is tailored to a bracket engine. I know Jim at Racer Brown has cam cores. Many cam companies don’t have cores. If you have a good core you can have that reground. It’s time for a cam update.
 
I will check my overall lift. Yes, it does fit in NHRA class. the 1969 Dart 440 4bbl car classes in B stock automatic.
 
Useless my ***. Most any cam will pull good with the gearing he has. Why change something if he doesn't have to and he doesn't. Sure, there are "better" cams for the street, and yes, it's true that it will be a little harder on the valve train. But it's nothing the valve train can't handle. Most any modern fast rate of lift cam will beat on the valve train too, so what's the difference? Cheater cam, big motor, light car with LOW gears. It's a matched combination. Run the hell out of it.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Useless my ***. Most any cam will pull good with the gearing he has. Why change something if he doesn't have to and he doesn't. Sure, there are "better" cams for the street, and yes, it's true that it will be a little harder on the valve train. But it's nothing the valve train can't handle. Most any modern fast rate of lift cam will beat on the valve train too, so what's the difference? Cheater cam, big motor, light car with LOW gears. It's a matched combination. Run the hell out of it.
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I would have no problem running that cam if he was going to run in stock eliminator. Cam shaft timing is based on induction compression ratio and RPM. If he’s bracket reason none of that matters. He’s not limited to stock eliminator rules so why are you Keep a stock eliminator cam?
 
Rat Bastid said:
I would have no problem running that cam if he was going to run in stock eliminator. Cam shaft timing is based on induction compression ratio and RPM. If he’s bracket reason none of that matters. He’s not limited to stock eliminator rules so why are you Keep a stock eliminator cam?
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Because he already has it. It doesn't sound like "to me" he's looking for something for all out best power, rather something for the street to have fun with.....and that definitely fits the bill!
 
Rat Bastid said:
I would have no problem running that cam if he was going to run in stock eliminator. Cam shaft timing is based on induction compression ratio and RPM. If he’s bracket reason none of that matters. He’s not limited to stock eliminator rules so why are you Keep a stock eliminator cam?
Click to expand...

cause its cool and its history, kind of like a space in time. are you old enough to remember?
 
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